Psyched in Stilettos

Known for:

Domestication, motherhood, love

Origin:

Hindu

What’s her story?

Goddess Durga, Parvati or Lalitha is one of the many forms of Shakti, the feminine energy of the universe. The charming daughter of Himavat (lord of the mountains), she lured Lord Shiva (the god of war) away from his wild bachelorhood in the Himalayas. She visited his Mount Kailash cave every day to decorate it with fruit and flowers and sweep the floor; she eventually tamed him in marriage and together they bore the elephant god Ganesha and Kartikeya. She is worshipped for her role as maiden, wife, and mother: a fertility goddess of love and devotion with an exclusively female clergy and following. Married women emulated Parvati’s marital bliss and superb housekeeping skills, and she is represented in the Hindu religion as one holding transcendental knowledge and power. She was depicted as exquisitely beautiful; at different times she is seen with three eyes, four arms, carrying a blue lotus, garbed in white (the colour of enlightenment) with a crescent moon bound in her locks, astride a white lioness with turquoise-tipped fur.

How can Parvati help me during March?

As the Hindu mother goddess who domesticated Shiva, Parvati reminds us to explore the wild, untamed forces that lie deep within us. Which bad habits and negative patterns do you need to ‘domesticate’? Can you identify which areas of your personality are no longer serving you, and would be better discarded or replaced with more positive patterns? Parvati was known as “she who dwells in the mountains”. Do you put up walls around yourself? Do you have a healthy two-way flow of energy between yourself and others, or do you block them out? A life coach may be useful in helping you identify and shift these emotional blockages.

Your mini action plans:

-    This magical mountain goddess was adept in the arts of yoga and dhyan (meditation), both of which serve to harmonise the body’s energy and bring clarity of mind. Have you tried a yoga and/or meditation class? Through these ancient healing arts, Parvati reminds us that there are no limits to what a woman can do when she uses her spiritual energy in the pursuit of any goal she chooses. Channel her power, combined with your newfound inner peace, to successfully tackling any goals, projects or obstacles that lie in your way.

-    Lord Shiva is a god of excesses, while Parvati plays the role of modifier. Which areas of your life need to be cut back? Are you over-spending, over-drinking, over-eating or wasting too much time or energy in other ways? No one can fix these poor habits but you, so design yourself an action plan and get real: it’s time to be proactive about making the healthy lifestyle changes which, deep down, you truly desire.